1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording media identifier and a recording device, and more particularly, relates to a recording media identifier for identifying types of recording media, and a recording device, provided with a recording media identifier, which records images by printing on recording media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of recording media can be used for a recording device, which records images, by printing on recording media. However, if recording conditions for glossy paper are applied to papers of other types, e.g., plain paper, a problem of ink overflow occurs. Normally, before starting recording, a user is required to set the type of recording medium to be used on the recording device. The recording device thus records for the recording medium under optimum conditions corresponding to the type of recording medium.
In order to save a user the trouble of setting a type of recording medium, some recording devices also identify types of paper to be used for recording (See for example “Media identifier”, technical information of advanced printers, HP Japan, Nov. 27, 2000, URL: http://review.ascii24.com/db/technical/printer/2000/11/27/619994-000.html). Such recording devices have a recording head provided with an optical sensor, adapted to determine paper reflectance, a wavelength of reflected light and the like so as to identify a type of paper. Such recording devices record by printing under optimum recording conditions corresponding to the type of paper identified. A database is disposed within such recording devices in which data can be stored, the paper reflectance, the wavelength of reflected light and the like of various types of paper (e.g., inkjet recording paper, plain paper, woodfree paper produced by various companies), and this data can be used for identifying a considerable variety of types of paper.
However, common problem in conventional recording devices is mistaken identification of paper, i.e., that different types of paper having similar reflectance and wavelength of reflectance (i.e., having the same kind of glossiness on the surface of the paper,) are deemed by the devices to be identical. Further, when a conventional recording device is used, recording media other than paper, such as transparent films for OHP (overhead projectors), cannot be identified.